GA Hospital, Physician Settle Whistleblower Lawsuit For $25 Million

A Columbus, Ga., hospital system and an affiliated physician have agreed to pay the U.S. and State of Georgia more than $25 million to settle a whistleblower’s allegations that they violated the federal False Claims Act, the Stark Statute, and the Georgia False Medicaid Claims Act. The settlements resolve two lawsuits filed by Richard Barker, a former Columbus Regional executive, in federal court in Columbus, Ga. Mr. Baker filed the lawsuits under the whistleblower provisions of the federal and state False Claims Acts, which permit individuals to sue on behalf of the federal and state governments and share in any ... Read More